Grumichama

Have you heard of a grumichama?? I’ll admit neither had I until I came across one at a nursery a few years back. “Tropical cherry alternative”, the tag said. “Ok then, sure”, I said. And here we are. Finally fruiting. Admittedly it got off to a rough start, being engulfed by a Cassava and kind of forgotten, but the Cassava had to come down last year and the grumichama has thanked me.

Grumichama are Eugenia brasiliensis, also known as the Brazilian cherry. They are endemic to Brazil (never would have guessed right…?) and part of the Myrtaceae family, so related to lilly pillies and guava and even the Lemon scented myrtle (which it has very similar flowers to). The fruit are a dark glossy black and they taste quite like a cherry! Not as intense, but they are still delicious. None of this “great tropical fruit but kind of weird and an acquired taste” business (Jaboticaba, I’m looking at you). There is also a yellow version.

Another closely related (and tasty) fruit, the Surinam cherry (Eugenia uniflora), also sometimes called the Brazilian cherry (confusing!), is a popular hedging shrub; however has become quite weedy in across Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Grumichama are ornamental in their own right, with medium sized glossy leaves and pretty starry cream flowers. While they can grow (albeit relatively slowly) to 12 m, they are easily kept to a manageable height. They will flush with flowers a few times a year, with only a month or so between flowers and their ripe, ready to eat fruit. The fruit is attractive to birds, so you might have to net if you want some, but other than that they provide few problems in the way of pests and diseases. They like a sunny spot with sandy-loamy soil, and do require some ongoing water in dry weather for the best fruit, but considering real cherries require way more cold than we are ever going to provide them in Brisbane, I can’t see why you wouldn’t plant one!